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0. E. KENNEY. MEANS FOR SECURING SPROGKET WHEELS T0 BIUYGLES.

Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

WITNESSES: HVVE/VTUH A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

OWEN E. KENNEY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH L. YOST, OF SAME PLACE.

MEANS FOR SECURING SPROCKET-WHEELS TO BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,989, dated November 2, 1897.

Application filed November 12, 1895. Serial No. 568,706. (lilo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN E. KENNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- ledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Securing SprocketlVheels to Bicycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

, My invention relates to certain new and useful improvemen ts in the means for secur ing sprocket-wheels to the pedal-shafts of bicycles.

It has for its object to so construct and adapt the parts that the sprocket-wheel While it may be securely held in proper operative relation with the crank-shaft may be readily removed and replaced for repairs or for controlling the speed, as will be hereinafter explained.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in the novel manner of securing the sprocket in position by securing the same upon a screw-threaded hub forming part of the pedaLcrank, as will hereinafter and in detail be more fully explained.

My invention further consists in the details of construction hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.-

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand the same, I will proceed to describe the construction and arrangement, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail longitudinal central section of one end of a pedal-shaft, sprocketwheel, and pedal-crank and ball-bearing. Fig. 2 is a detail plan or side View of one end of a pedal-shaft and pedal-crank. Fig. 3 is a detail or end view of the pedal-shaft,sprocketwheel, clamping ball-race nut, and dust-cap; and Fig. 4: is a plan View of the ball-race nut.

Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A represents the crank-shaft, and B the crank.

O is the sprocket-wheel; D, the sprocketshaft yoke or bearing; E, the cone-shaped ball-race nut; F, the ball-race cup; G, the ring for confining the balls within the race, and H the dust-cap.

So far as the ball-bearing devices are concerned they may be of any well-known or desirable construction, and need not therefore be described more in detail, the peculiar features of my invention resting in the details of construction of the crank-shaft, crank, sprocketwheel, and securing ball-race nut, and these I will proceed to describe more accurately.

The shaft A is adapted at each end to receive the cranks B, which are secured thereto by the cotter-pin I or in any other suitable manner. It is also formed with screw-threads J to receive the ordinary cone nuts or the peculiar ball-race nut E, which, as will be observed more particularly at Figs. 3 and 4, is

flattened on opposite sides to such an extent as to form faces for receiving an operatingwrench or other tool and at the same time not to interfere with its capacity as a ball-race.

The crank 13 at that end of the shaft upon which the sprocket-wheel C is to be located is formed with an inwardly-projecting screwthreaded hub a of larger diameter than the screw-threaded portion .I of the shaft A and with an annular shoulder 19. The sprocket wheel is formed with a hub c, interiorlythreaded to run upon the threaded hub a of the crank, and with an inwardly-extended and externally-threaded portion cl, which latter is intended to receive the threaded dust-cap II. The threads which cause the several parts to interlock are of course given such direction (either right and left hand) as will prevent accidental separation.

It will be seen that when the ball-race nut E is in its proper relation with the hub of the sprocket-wheel C it also constitutes a jam-nut.

While I have shown the hub of the sprocketwheel as formed with an exteriorly-threaded portion to receive the dust-cap II, it will be understood that this feature may be dispensed with when it is desired to only so construct the sprocket-wheel as to adapt it to ready adjustment upon the crank.

From the construction shown it will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 that if it shouldbe desired to substitute a sprocket of another size to change the gear it is only necessary to remove the cotter-pin I or other crank-locking device, whereupon the crank, with the sprocket-Wheel secured thereto,rnay be d rawn from the end of the crankshaft, and When this is done the sprocket-wheel may be readily unscrewed and removed from the threaded hub of the crank and another sprocket-Wheel substituted. It will also be understood that as the sprocket-wheel is secured directly to a hub on the crank the powergapplied to the latter is transmitted directly to the sprocketwheel, and thus the shaft is relieved in a large degree from rotative strain.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the crank B adapted to fit over the end of crank-shaft A, to be reinovably secured thereto, and formed with the exterior thread a, the sprocket G interiorly threaded to fit the thread a, the crankshaft A with thread J, and ball-race nut E, the latter constituting a ball-race and jamnut, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination and arrangement of the sprocket-WheelC interiorly threaded at a and secured by such thread to the crank 13, and exteriorly threaded at d, the ball-race cup F, cone nut E, and shaftAinclosed Within the yoke D, and the dust-cap H secured to the exterior thread d on thesprocket-wheel C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofv I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OWEN E. KENNEY.

itnesses v GEORGE F. MILLER, J r.-, OHAs. L. DE PORTER. 

